Morning crept gently across the treetops, the light threading through the canopy in golden beams that shimmered against the dying embers of the fire. Sleep had eventually found Nyra, her restless thoughts finally sinking into a haze of dreams. One by one, the others had surrendered to exhaustion as well Neo curled near the fire, Valen slumped against a log, Luken with his cloak draped over his head. Even Tar, the ever-watchful Minotaur, lay asleep with one arm draped over his chest, the faintest snore rising from him like a rumble of distant thunder.
Tar had settled beside Nyra during the long hours of night. He hadn't said anything he rarely did when it came to emotions but his presence had been enough. His massive frame blocked the wind, and the weight of his warmth grounded her when she finally collapsed into sleep. She hadn't asked him to, and he hadn't needed to be told. He simply lay there, between her and the world, as he always did. Even in slumber, his nearness offered a kind of comfort no words could have matched. His breathing was slow, deep, and steady like the heartbeat of something ancient and immovable. A silent guardian, even now.
But two figures had not rested. As always, Thal remained awake. Silent, distant and now, so too did Alinda.
They stood a short distance from the camp, where the land sloped gently toward the mist-veiled hills beyond. Thal's towering form was still, his eyes scanning the tree line without pause. Beside him, Alinda leaned against a crooked stump, arms crossed, her silver-etched black armor catching the morning light in fractured glints. She didn't speak, not yet. Just watched him watched the way his shoulders never eased, the way his breath stayed quiet and deliberate, like each inhale carried centuries with it.
She didn't need to ask if he'd slept. She already knew the answer.
The fire crackled softly in the silence, a final whisper of warmth before the day truly began. Somewhere behind them, a bird gave a cautious trill, as if uncertain if it was safe to greet the sun.
Nyra stirred slightly, murmuring something incoherent under her breath and shifting in place. Her face was soft in sleep, less guarded, less burdened. There was still tension in her brow, a crease that even rest couldn't fully smooth but the exhaustion had claimed her at last. One of her hands rested near Tar's fur-lined side, her fingers half-curled, like she'd reached for him in her dreams.
Neo twitched beside the fire, his face buried in the crook of his elbow. In the flicker of light, the faded lines beneath his eyes seemed deeper, like someone far older than he looked. He mumbled something perhaps a name, perhaps just a fragment of dream and turned away from the fire, pressing into the folds of his travel-worn cloak.
Valen, for once, had nothing clever to say. His sword was still in its scabbard, his boots still dusty from the trail. He looked younger like this. Less charming rogue, more tired wanderer. His head lolled slightly to the side, mouth parted in the kind of sleep only complete mental and physical drain could bring.
Luken, ever the cautious one, had wrapped his cloak tightly around himself and wedged his satchel under his head. Even in rest, one hand lingered near the haft of his staff. The flamelight occasionally caught the edge of his hidden horn beneath his hood, casting strange shadows across his cheek.
And through all of it, Thal stood.
Alinda finally broke the silence, her voice low and unreadable. "They trust you, you know."
Thal didn't turn his head. "I know."
"But that trust is fragile."
"I know that too."
Alinda tilted her head, studying the side of his face. "You scare them."
"They should be scared." His voice wasn't bitter, just flat. "They've seen what happens when I stop holding back."
"They've also seen you bleed," she replied, pushing off the stump. Her boots made little sound in the grass. "And still they stayed."
Thal was silent again. Somewhere deep in the woods, a branch snapped. He didn't flinch. He never did.
"They're still here," Alinda continued. "Still breathing because of you. Tar wouldn't have left Nyra's side if he thought you were a threat. You know that."
He exhaled slowly, the breath misting in the cool air. "I don't think I deserve them."
Alinda shrugged, her crimson eyes narrowing. "Maybe not but that's not your choice to make."
She let that linger in the air for a while before glancing back toward the camp, toward the rising light touching the edges of their makeshift shelter. "Come sit. Even if you won't sleep. Just... be near them."
Thal shook his head. "Not yet."
Alinda sighed but there was no frustration in it. "You know, you remind me of someone... someone who would have done anything for others, even if it tore her apart. Always watching out for them, putting herself last. Sound familiar?"
Thal's jaw clenched, his gaze drifting downward.
"She believed in the good of others, even when she had no reason to." Alinda didn't speak her name. She didn't have to. "Maybe that's what they see in you too."
He said nothing. He didn't have to. So she left him there, the world slowly awakened around them but Thal remained the same. Tall. Still. Watching.
Once he was alone, with only the wind whispering through the branches and the soft sound of his companions sleeping, Thal whispered under his breath a voice so quiet it barely stirred the air.
"I'll never be like her."
Alinda walked away from the tree line, her steps slow, deliberate. Just as the distance grew behind her, she muttered under her breath, "I heard that."
The words were quiet, swallowed by the morning breeze but her face held the faintest curve of a smile more wistful than amused. Her armor shifted gently with each step, the etched silver catching the gold light as she drifted back toward the others.
The camp was beginning to stir.
Nyra stood by the fire, adjusting the leather straps across her shoulder and chest, tightening them with practiced pulls. Her movements were methodical but there was tension in her hands. The kind that came from a night full of dreams she couldn't name and questions she couldn't ask.
Valen sat cross-legged near his bedroll, stuffing it back into a tight bundle. His hair was a mess, his grin already forming as he glanced over at Luken.
"Still can't believe you cast that spell backward," Valen muttered. "Thought we were going to end up walking on the ceiling."
Luken didn't look up. "Maybe I was aiming to launch you somewhere far away."
Valen gave a lazy chuckle. "You'd miss me."
"Unlikely."
Tar was nearby, sitting with his back to a boulder, arms resting over his knees. He wasn't talking but his presence was enough. Quiet, steady, the same way he'd been last night beside Nyra. His eyes followed the others as they moved, blinking slowly like a beast deciding whether to rise or wait.
Neo crouched near the remnants of the fire, staring at the coals that still pulsed with faint heat. He didn't linger, just gave a small sigh and stood, brushing ash from his hands.
Alinda watched all of them, her expression unreadable.
Her thoughts were elsewhere still trailing behind her with Thal. The way he'd stood there, saying those words as if they didn't carry weight, as if they didn't echo back into her and stir up ghosts.
He was so certain… certain that he'd never be like her.
She exhaled through her nose, slow and soft.
That certainty... that was what unsettled her more than anything. Thal believed it believed it so deeply that he couldn't see the way the others looked at him. Couldn't see how he carried something gentler beneath the scars. Something she once saw in Quincy. Something the world had nearly crushed.
She frowned slightly, not at him but at herself. At the thought that maybe, just maybe, she was daydreaming. Projecting a ghost onto a man who had already buried too many.
But still...
What if he was more?
She walked a little slower toward the group, caught somewhere between memory and hope, between what Thal thought he was and what he might one day become.
Neo noticed her before she said a word. Alinda wasn't usually one to drift but right now, she was somewhere far off in her head, staring at nothing with that unreadable look of hers. Her arms were crossed, lips pressed into a line, as if arguing with a thought that refused to settle.
He stepped toward her, his voice soft but direct. "You okay?"
Alinda blinked once, then turned her head slightly. "Hmm?"
"How's he holding up?" Neo asked, nodding in the direction she'd come from the cliff, the shadow beyond camp where Thal had vanished to keep watch.
Alinda exhaled through her nose and raised both hands in a mock shrug. "Same as always." Her tone tried to carry levity, a faint smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "Brooding. Staring into the void. Standing like a statue."
Neo gave a short chuckle but it didn't last. He glanced toward the edge of the trees, as if he might catch sight of Thal's silhouette in the haze. "I hope he's alright," he said after a moment. "Really. I know he says he's fine he always does but... something about this time feels different."
Alinda's smile faded, and she didn't answer immediately. The joke had bought her a second. That was all.
"I hope so too," she said quietly.
There was a kind of weight to those words, something left unsaid pressing beneath them. He just stood there beside her, hands in his coat pockets, jaw tightening slightly like he was biting back the same uncertainty.
Their silence was interrupted by the soft crunch of boots on dewy grass. Nyra approached, her armor now fully strapped, her long silver hair still slightly wild from sleep. She slowed as she neared them, her crimson eyes scanning both faces like she'd heard the tail end of their conversation.
Alinda noticed the flicker of something in her gaze hesitation, maybe. Or doubt.
"You're up early," Alinda said, folding her arms again, tone gentler this time.
Nyra nodded. "Didn't sleep long. Not well, anyway."
Neo tilted his head. "Bad dreams?"
Nyra didn't answer that. She looked between them again, then past them to the same place Neo had looked moments ago. "He still hasn't come down?"
"No," Alinda said. "Doubt he will. Not until we leave."
There was an edge in Nyra's voice when she replied, quiet but sharp. "He doesn't have to watch us like that. Like we're... strangers."
Alinda turned her head slightly, watching Nyra closely, then spoke with unexpected softness. "It's not you he's watching."
That gave Nyra pause.
Neo stepped in, trying to bridge the silence. "He's just... dealing with something. I don't even think he knows how to talk about it." He looked to Alinda for agreement.
She nodded, slow and heavy. "Even if he did... I don't know if he'd want to." Her eyes dropped to the earth.
Nyra lowered her gaze too, her shoulders tightening slightly as the wind picked up around them.
For a moment, the three stood there, close but each in their own orbit, bound by concern for a man who had always been larger than life and now felt just distant enough to be untouchable.
A short silence had settled over the camp again, broken only by the occasional crackle from the dying fire. Valen finally straightened, slinging his packed bedroll onto his shoulder with a grunt.
"So… when exactly are we planning on heading out?" he asked, his voice casual but edged with hesitation. He glanced briefly toward Neo, then quickly away again. "I mean, we can't just stand around here forever."
Luken cleared his throat, stepping slightly closer to Valen. He looked uneasy, glancing at Nyra as though expecting her to read his thoughts. "He's got a point. The sooner we leave, the better. The city will be expecting us."
Nyra frowned slightly, not understanding the caution in their voices. She tightened the strap of her armor again, watching them closely. "What's the rush?"
Valen hesitated, shifting his weight awkwardly from foot to foot. He shot Luken another glance clearly expecting some backup that didn't come. Finally, with obvious reluctance, Valen met Nyra's eyes. "You know... the city's probably already celebrating, banners waving for the heroes' return. They expect three of us, Nyra. Three."
Nyra tilted her head, still not following. "And?"
Valen sighed, exasperation tinging his voice. "And... we're coming back with a bit more than three, aren't we?" His gaze flicked pointedly to Neo again, then quickly away. "Might complicate things."
Nyra's eyes widened slightly as understanding finally hit her. She glanced quickly at Neo, searching his face for any sign of offense. He was looking away, staring at the distant horizon, expression carefully neutral.
"Oh," Nyra murmured quietly, realization settling over her like cold water. Her posture stiffened as she turned sharply to Valen and Luken. "Are you seriously worried about Neo?"
Valen raised both hands defensively. "It's not us, Nyra. I trust Neo, you trust Neo, everyone standing here does but Lions Gate... they don't know him. They don't know Thal either. They might see Neo and panic. They might think..."
"They might think I'm an enemy," Neo said softly, cutting through Valen's hesitation. His voice was calm, free of bitterness or anger. He met Valen's gaze evenly. "It's alright, Valen. You're right. They'll see horns and eyes and think of the Kruul they fear, not a friend or ally."
Valen winced slightly but nodded, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation but relieved Neo had said it out loud. "Exactly and it's not just you it's everything they don't understand. If we just march into Lions Gate without considering their reaction…"
"I get it," Neo interrupted gently, a faint smile crossing his lips. He turned toward Nyra. "Honestly, I was already considering heading back to Snowdrift. The Rift is still there someone needs to keep an eye on it."
Nyra's jaw tightened, something flickering in her gaze concern, frustration, or perhaps something deeper. "You're serious?"
Neo nodded slowly. "I don't belong in Lions Gate, Nyra. Valen's right. It'll just complicate things. I came here to warn Thal about Fall that part's done now." He glanced briefly toward Alinda, who stood slightly apart from them, arms still crossed, gaze distant. "Besides, it's probably best if I go back. Less trouble all around."
Nyra looked as though she wanted to argue but no words came. She bit the inside of her cheek, frustration evident in every tight line of her expression. "It's not right," she finally said quietly. "You shouldn't have to leave because they won't understand."
Neo's smile softened further, gentle but resigned. "Maybe not but that's how it is. I knew that before I came."
Alinda, who had stayed quiet until now, finally stirred slightly, looking over with a faint sigh. "He's not wrong," she said calmly. "Lions Gate isn't exactly welcoming to those it fears. It might not be safe for Neo or for me, for that matter."
Valen looked relieved that Alinda had joined the conversation, though his discomfort didn't vanish completely. "So, you're leaving too?"
Alinda shrugged lightly. "Neo and I had one goal coming here warn Thal. We did that. Staying longer... isn't necessary."
Nyra's eyes flicked sharply to Alinda, the tension clear in the sudden stiffness of her shoulders. "But "
"What reason do I have to stay?" Alinda interrupted softly, not unkindly. Her crimson gaze was sympathetic but firm. "My place isn't in that city."
Nyra fell silent, shoulders slumping slightly as she looked back at Neo. She seemed to search for something anything that would keep him there but no answer came. The truth of Valen's words lingered uncomfortably between them.
"I don't like it," Nyra finally muttered, voice barely audible.
Neo stepped forward, gently placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Neither do I but it's safer for everyone. You know I'm right."
Nyra said nothing, just stared down at the ground, frustration clear in the tightness of her jaw. The silence stretched on for several long moments, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the soft whistle of morning wind.
Finally, she took a deep breath, raising her gaze again to meet Neo's. "At least wait for Thal. He'll know what we should do next. It's his decision too."
Valen looked uneasy again, exchanging glances with Luken but neither protested this time. Even they knew Nyra was right Thal would have the final word, regardless of how complicated it became.
Neo gave a slow nod, releasing Nyra's shoulder. "Of course. I wasn't planning to vanish without telling him. I owe him that much."
Another silence settled over the group, heavier than before, as each of them looked toward the cliffs where Thal still stood. Alinda remained silent, expression unreadable, her eyes distant once again, fixed on something beyond their immediate concerns.
Nyra glanced back at Neo, her expression softer, quieter. "I'm sorry."
Neo shook his head gently, offering her a small, sincere smile. "Don't be. It's not your fault."
They stood together, uncertain and waiting, as the morning light crept higher into the sky. Each of them knew their path forward would depend on Thal's choice a choice none of them could predict.
While the conversation continued quietly below, Tar had silently wandered off toward the cliff where Thal stood. None of them noticed none except Alinda. She glanced up briefly, just enough to see the towering Minotaur quietly lumbering toward Thal. She said nothing, just watching Tar's broad silhouette vanish toward the distant figure at the cliff's edge.
Tar stopped behind Thal, standing there in silence for a moment. The wind tugged gently at his heavy mane, shifting the fur along his shoulders. He said nothing. He didn't have to. After a brief pause, he lowered his head slightly and gently headbutted Thal's shoulder, a low, soft moan rumbling from his throat.
Thal turned, mild surprise flickering across his normally unreadable face. For a moment, his golden eyes met Tar's calm, steady gaze. The tension he'd been holding seemed to ease ever so slightly.
A quiet smile crossed Thal's lips faint, almost invisible but real. He reached out, gently tapping Tar's massive chest with his knuckles. "Fair enough," he murmured softly, his voice carrying a warmth he rarely shared.
Tar gave another small grunt of approval, satisfied that he'd made his point without saying a word. He stepped aside, giving Thal room to move past him.
Thal drew in a slow breath, steadying himself, then started down the slope toward the waiting group. Tar followed closely, footsteps heavy and comforting.
Alinda watched from below, her expression softening slightly. She said nothing but the faint smile that touched her lips spoke volumes.
The others noticed the approaching figures Nyra straightening instinctively, Neo turning slowly, and Valen and Luken exchanging silent, uneasy glances. None of them spoke. They simply waited.
Thal's return felt like an answer they'd all been waiting for, even if none of them knew exactly what the question had been.
When Thal finally descended the slope with Tar at his side, the shift in the group was immediate. Even without speaking, his presence grounded the air. The soft crunch of his feet over damp grass drew the attention of all five Valen straightened mid-motion as he rolled his bedroll, Luken subtly tensed, Nyra looked up from tightening the straps on her bracer, and Neo rose from where he'd been crouched near the dying embers. Only Alinda remained unfazed, arms crossed as she leaned against a gnarled tree.
Thal stopped a few paces from the circle and glanced between them. His eyes narrowed, not in anger but in that quiet calculation he always carried like he was weighing something far heavier than anyone else could see.
There was something in the air. Tension, unspoken but thick enough to feel.
He turned to Alinda first. "What's going on?"
She didn't move from her spot, didn't even tilt her head. "Not my issue," she said with a shrug. "Ask them."
He stared at her a moment longer but she gave nothing else. So, he turned slowly, scanning the others again. It wasn't Neo he looked unsure but not conflicted. Valen had something on his tongue but swallowed it. Luken stood silent, guarded.
Nyra.
Her fingers were still adjusting the already-tight strap. She hadn't looked up again since meeting his gaze.
"Nyra," Thal said quietly. "Tell me."
She hesitated. The fire cracked behind her as she slowly looked up, eyes flicking to the others before settling on Thal. There was a flicker of guilt in her features not shame but a deep, unsettled unease.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. When she finally spoke, her voice was steady but soft.
"They're not sure we should go to Lions Gate," she said. "Not because of the path… but because of who's going."
Thal didn't flinch. He simply waited.
Nyra glanced toward Neo, who stood still, not offended, just listening. "It's not about trust. It's about how the city might see him."
Thal turned his eyes on Valen.
The rouge gave a sheepish shrug, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "I just said it might be... complicated. I wasn't trying to start anything."
Luken added quietly, "We've seen how cities react to things they don't understand."
Neo didn't move, didn't argue. "They're not wrong. I didn't want to go back either. I figured I might head to Snowdrift instead."
Alinda finally pushed off the tree and spoke, though her tone stayed cool. "Our reason for coming was to warn Thal. That's done. I'll probably go with him, wherever he ends up."
Nyra took a step forward, hands half-raised like she wanted to protest but couldn't form the words. "We should wait for Thal's decision. That's all I said."
Thal looked at each of them in turn, his expression unreadable, like a mountain clouded by storm. He said nothing yet but the silence that followed waited on his words.
Thal's gaze shifted toward Neo, his golden eyes suddenly colder, harder than Nyra had expected.
"You're right," Thal said flatly, turning slightly away. "It's better if Neo doesn't come. Lions Gate is no place for him."
His tone startled them all Nyra's eyes widened sharply, her mouth opening slightly but no words coming out. Luken and Valen exchanged quick glances of genuine surprise they'd expected resistance, an argument certainly not swift agreement from Thal. Valen shifted uncomfortably, now clearly regretting he'd brought it up. Luken stood stiffly, uncertainty clear in the subtle tension of his shoulders.
Neo straightened immediately, his jaw tightening. A shadow of hurt flickered across his face, quickly replaced by anger. "You're sending me back?"
Thal kept his eyes averted, voice steady but cutting. "It's not your war, Neo. Not your fight. There's no reason for you to walk into that city."
Neo's eyes flashed, frustration evident. He took a determined step forward, hands tightening into fists at his sides. "Not my war?" he echoed sharply. "If anything, this is exactly my war."
Thal turned back, the calm surface breaking slightly. "Neo "
Neo didn't let him finish. "No. You think because I'm not like you a Nephilim, untouched by what's happening in that city that this isn't my concern? You forget what I am." Neo lifted his chin defiantly, purple eyes blazing. "I am Kruul. My people live beneath their city, bound in chains, hidden from sight. You think that doesn't make this my fight?"
A tense silence stretched painfully between them. Nyra held her breath, fingers gripping the strap of her bracer tightly. Valen swallowed hard, trying not to look directly at either of them. Luken watched carefully, his expression tight with unease.
Finally, Thal spoke again, voice dangerously low. "You think walking through those gates will change anything? You think they'll welcome you just because you fight beside their heroes?"
Neo stood his ground, eyes locked onto Thal's, refusing to back down. "I was prepared to leave. Prepared to go back to Snowdrift but now now I think I need to see Lions Gate myself."
Thal's gaze hardened further. "You already know what's waiting for you. You'll find only hatred and fear."
"Maybe," Neo shot back defiantly. "Or maybe I'll find people who can learn to see past my blood. I've been sheltered long enough."
Thal's expression darkened, jaw clenching visibly. "Sheltered?" he repeated, his voice sharpening like steel. "Choose your next words carefully, Neo."
Neo hesitated a fraction of a second, recognizing the subtle but unmistakable warning in Thal's voice but his anger was already loose, his pride already bruised. "Ever since Quincy "
The name stopped everything. Silence snapped taut, the air growing unbearably heavy.
Tar shifted his weight, the massive Minotaur suddenly seeming smaller. He looked away, eyes shadowed by the quiet grief he carried deep in his chest. Alinda's usually impassive features flickered briefly, her crimson gaze dropping to the earth, something like regret passing fleetingly across her face.
Thal's voice was low, strained, each word carefully measured and heavy with quiet threat. "Tread carefully."
Neo hesitated again, his anger tempered now by a hint of remorse. He glanced briefly toward Tar and Alinda, noticing their reactions clearly for the first time. They knew. He had crossed a line.
But his pride pushed through again, quieter but still firm. "All I meant," Neo said slowly, cautiously now, "is that I can't keep standing behind you, protected. You've done that enough. I need to stand on my own."
Thal didn't respond immediately. He stood there, immovable as stone, his gaze holding Neo's until Neo finally looked away, frustration mixing with his lingering remorse.
When Thal finally spoke, his voice was quieter but no less sharp. "I didn't shelter you because I thought you weak, Neo. I did it because I understand exactly how cruel the world can be."
Neo nodded once, acknowledging the quiet pain behind Thal's words. "I know but I won't learn anything if you keep me from facing it."
Thal's eyes narrowed slightly, something unreadable in their depths. "This lesson might cost more than you're ready to pay."
Neo's jaw set again, a stubborn resolve reasserting itself. "I'm not a child anymore. Let me decide that."
Valen shifted uncomfortably again, finally daring to break the tension with a tentative murmur. "So... are we going?"
Luken gave Valen a sharp glance, silently urging him not to push things further.
Nyra finally found her voice, though it was soft, uncertain. "We don't have to decide now. Thal, maybe we should take more time "
"No," Neo interrupted, firm but not unkind. He held Thal's gaze again, determination now mixed clearly with something more hopeful, perhaps naive. "I'm going to Lions Gate. Maybe I'll regret it. Maybe the city will reject me outright but maybe just maybe I can change their minds, even if just one. I need to know."
Thal stared at him, the intensity between them charged with silent emotion. Finally, he turned away, his voice a low growl, nearly defeated. "Fine but remember that I warned you. That city will offer you nothing but grief."
Neo nodded slowly, quietly defiant. "Then grief is what I'll face."
No one spoke immediately afterward. Tar moved closer to Thal, offering quiet solidarity. Alinda stepped back, still silent, eyes shadowed by private thoughts.
Nyra watched Neo carefully, her heart caught between pride in his bravery and fear of what might happen next. She wanted to speak, wanted to stand by him openly but the silence held her back.
Valen glanced around awkwardly, clearing his throat as if to break the oppressive tension. "I suppose it's settled, then."
Luken gave a faint nod, saying nothing, uncertainty still clear on his features.
Neo exhaled slowly, tension leaving his shoulders somewhat. He glanced at Nyra, noticing the worry in her eyes, and his expression softened slightly, trying to reassure her without words.
Thal turned toward the distant road, his voice steady again, the quiet edge returned. "We'll head for Lions Gate. Stay close. Expect suspicion perhaps worse and watch each other's backs."
His words landed heavily among the group, each of them nodding in quiet acknowledgment. Thal looked back at Neo one last time, his expression a complicated mixture of respect, frustration, and quiet grief.
"You've chosen your path clearly," Thal said quietly, voice tinged with resignation. "But know the price you pay. Some lessons you never get to unlearn."
Neo didn't waver. "I understand."
Thal turned slowly, walking away a few paces to let his quiet warning settle. Nyra moved closer to Neo, speaking softly, cautiously. "Are you sure?"
Neo glanced down, offering her a faint, weary smile. "No but I'm tired of being protected from a fight I was born into."
Valen and Luken watched the quiet exchange, clearly uncomfortable but also quietly respectful of Neo's courage, even if they feared the result. Alinda stood apart, her crimson eyes thoughtful, distant, as if already anticipating what lay ahead in the city.
Tar's heavy breathing rumbled like distant thunder, his gaze fixed firmly on Thal's broad back as he walked ahead. There was sorrow there, unspoken but deeply felt.
Neo took a slow breath, his gaze drifting toward the horizon where Lions Gate waited. Naively perhaps, he allowed himself to believe he could change something, could shift perspectives that had been entrenched by generations of fear.
For now, that hope was enough.
The others began gathering their gear quietly, the heavy silence broken only by small sounds of preparations, movements. Thal remained apart, eyes fixed on a distant point, thoughts hidden behind his guarded expression.
Yet no matter how many unspoken doubts filled the silence, the choice had been made. Neo would walk with them into Lions Gate, toward whatever waited beyond those imposing walls.
The path ahead was uncertain, shadowed by fears both known and unknown but it was his path now no longer sheltered, no longer protected by Thal's shadow. He'd face what lay ahead openly, clearly, and without regret.
Thal's warning lingered, whispering in the back of his mind, quietly urging caution but Neo had already decided:
He'd face it all, no matter the cost.